Drug Allergy:
An
abnormal mechanism of
drug response that occurs in individuals who
produce injurious
antibodies that react with
foreign substances-- in this instance, a drug. The person who is
allergic by nature and has a history of
hay fever,
asthma,
hives, or
eczema is more likely to develop drug allergies. Allergic reactions to drugs take many
forms:
skin eruptions of various kinds,
fever,
swollen glands,
painful joints,
jaundice,
interference with breathing,
acute collapse of circulation, etc. Drug allergies can develop gradually over a long period of time, or they can appear with dramatic suddenness and require
life-saving intervention.
--From The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs